Equality. What everyone strives for whether it is involving gender, work, salary, etc. Just because it is what you strive for, does not mean that it is something that is going to occur. Women and men are almost always treated differently, but as an athlete I find it extremely noticeable in athletics and how a men’s team is viewed and treated differently than a women’s team.
Sports. It’s a love hate relationship between the sport we play and the work you have to put in. Playing a sport is not a walk in the park; there is no time off ever. You have summer packets for your summer training, preseason strength and conditioning where you are waking up before the sun rises or staying late until the sun goes down to get better than your opponent, in-season where you have absolutely no life because there is 2 hours plus of practice on top of film and games, and then finally post season where you wake up at the same time as preseason just to stay in shape. The time and effort you put in is endless and draining, but makes you feel so accomplished when you are done.
Men’s and women’s teams alike put in the same amount of time, effort, and energy, but during all my years of playing sports, the men’s teams receive more recognition, more fans, and overall better gear because they are boys. So the question is why? If the same amount of time, effort, and energy is out in why does one get more than the other? It’s the stigma that men are better than women at sports, and that simply is not true.
A women’s team is as good if not better than a men’s team but they will not get recognized. They are looked at as playing the sport in a boring manner and simply they just do not have the same skill level as the men. A women’s game is just as exciting as a men’s game, but people wouldn’t know because they do not go and see for themselves. This is a mind blowing concept, and sports across the board, whether it is high school, college, or even professional, women’s games are not nearly close to having the same amount of attendance as the men’s games, even if they are better.
Why is this? Why does a women’s team not get the fans? Well, in my eyes it is simple, it is because we are girls and they are boys. I do not agree with this at all, but because of the way men’s sports are advertised and praised, people are more likely to attend. It does not matter if the team is better or worse than the women’s team, the men’s team will always have more fans. It was true for me when my high school team was nationally ranked, winning championships and getting major recognition, while the men’s team would barely make the playoffs, and it is true now in my college career.
The boys team gets the better gear, they get better contracts for their gear, and they have games that are standing room only, so loud you can’t even hear yourself think. I have never been in a situation like that. In my high school career we would have about the same number of fans, unless it was a double header, then the stands would fill at the end just about 45 minutes before tip for the boys. In my college career, I can count the number of fans we have had on my hands and feet because we have never really topped twenty, while the men’s team had a full student section that kept them in close games.
Now, I know life is not fair, but some recognition for the hard work that is put in would be nice. It is so rewarding to know that people appreciate the time and work you put in because they really enjoy watching the awesome sport you play. So next time you skip a women’s game just to go to the men’s remember they put the same amount of work the men do, so show your support, I’m sure it would mean an incredible amount to them.
